Phone users are being warned that a new crackdown on roaming charges in Europe could land them with higher bills.

The European Commission has just introduced a new law that caps roaming charges – applied when phone users abroad on business or holiday surf the internet, use social media, stream music or watch films.

The rules aim to ensure customers previously landed with unexpected bills totalling hundreds of pounds now pay nothing extra or just a few pounds more.

Amy Smith was hit with an unexpected £76 roaming bill by mobile provider EE two years ago

Mobile providers such as Vodafone and EE must ensure that customers’ bundles of data, minutes and texts are used before they start to be charged extra while in Europe.

But critics fear many mobile users will not realise that countries such as Switzerland, Turkey – and possibly even Britain when we leave the European Union in 2019 – are not included in the new arrangements.

Providers may also exploit the confusion and lure customers into expensive deals that include paying for ‘free’ roaming they do not need.

Amy Smith, who runs theatre company Legs Akimbo, says: ‘The changes to roaming charges are confusing and many people will get a nasty shock thinking they will pay less – only to be landed with an unexpected hefty bill.’

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HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP

The 32-year-old, from Dalston, East London, says: ‘I follow a simple rule when going abroad. I switch off the roaming facility on my phone settings at the airport and only turn it on again upon my return.

‘I have learnt the hard way after being stung with nasty bills in the past. I prefer to get access to the internet on holiday using free wi-fi at internet cafes, train stations or hotels.’

Amy was hit with an unexpected £76 roaming bill by mobile provider EE two years ago when she thought she had paid a one-off £9 on top of her £35-a-month contract to include the extra roaming. She was later refunded the bill after complaining.

Turn-off: If you switch off your data roaming you won't be hit with any unexpected fees

The new European Commission rules reduce the maximum amount a phone network provider can charge for roaming from €50 (£44) per gigabyte to €7.70 (£6.80). The rate will fall over the next five years to €2.50 (£2.20).

The £6.80-a-gigabyte rate applies if you go beyond an existing allowance – or do not have one. A gigabyte is enough to allow a phone user to stream videos for an hour.

The bill for roaming outside of Europe will rise from August when value added tax – charged at 20 per cent – is applied to the normal network charge rates.

The most expensive countries for roaming include South Africa and Canada, both of which can charge up to £8 per megabyte (£8,000 a gigabyte) for data use.

A Neil Diamond fan spent £2,600 downloading a 326-megabyte album on holiday three years ago. Operator Orange later cut her bill to £400.

Ernest Doku, technology expert at comparison website uSwitch, warns: ‘Providers have been rapped on the knuckles by these new laws for overcharging but are pushing ‘roam like at home’ sales literature as if it was their idea. They will still seek to sell you unnecessary extras.’

The commission has also cut the maximum charge rate for making phone calls and texting. The price of calls made in Europe has now been capped at 3.2 cents (3p) a minute from the previous 5.5 cents (5p). The cost of sending a text has been halved from 2 cents (2p) to 1 cent (1p).

A LOCAL SIM MAY BE CHEAPER WHEN YO'RE ABROAD

If travelling outside Europe a great savings tip is to leave your phone at home and buy a cheap mobile abroad.

The handset can be fitted with a local SIM card that allows you to surf the internet at local rates.

If you are travelling in Europe a SIM-only deal could be more attractive than a costly bundle package that includes a phone.

Such deals at the moment include a 12-month Three Mobile SIM-only offer for £9 a month with unlimited minutes, text and 4 gigabytes of data.

Phone a friend: A SIM-only deal could be more attractive than a costly package

Vodafone offers ‘global roaming’ where you can take a ‘50 Roam-free destinations’ bundle on a pay monthly plan. But it is £50 a month with a £200 up front charge for an iPhone 7 handset and ties you into a contract for two years.

EE promotes a ‘max’ bundle that boasts a ‘roam like home allowance’ for Europe as if it were an extra luxury. It includes 25 ‘free’ gigabytes of data for those willing to pay £52.99 a month.

It is a 24-month contract with a one-off cost for an iPhone 7 reduced from £249.99 to £9.99.

Three has a ‘feel at home’ offer that includes roaming for 60 worldwide destinations. Among the packages using ‘feel at home’ is a £47-a-month Advance Plan with an iPhone 7 – for a £79 upfront charge and a 24-month contract.

You get four gigabytes of data a month in the 60 countries, but after this you pay international rates.

Mobile users who wish to use their phone abroad should ensure their network has put a cap on data usage limited to around £40 – and that they will be warned if they are near it.

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